SOTA c77s02
Text The Sage-Bloom household became crowded by early evening: Scarlet Sage had insisted that they hold a get-together here to wish Scrivener and Luna before they left to face down Thesis. But it wasn't just for them: it was a... a refusal of a funeral for Twilight Sparkle. A way for all her friends to gather together and show her that they were all wishing her well, too, and wanted her to come back from... wherever her spirit had faded to. It was also a much-needed almost-defiance of the pain and sorrow many of them were still feeling in the wake of the attack on Ponyville. Worse than the damage to the village had been the damage Thesis had done to the spirit and pride of its inhabitants: he had stolen more than lives and ruined more than homes, but their drive, their strength, their hope. This was their way to get together, see each other, and look at the wounds they all bore and reassure one-another that everything was going to be okay. To remind themselves that they had survived Decretum, and they would survive this... and to pass on all those hopes to Luna and Scrivener, and show them how many ponies were counting on them to go, to see, to conquer, and most important of all, to come back. Rainbow Dash, Big Mac, Sleipnir, and an extremely-awkward Barry all toasted Scrivener Blooms with tankards of ale as he only smiled amusedly and held up his glass of cola in gratitude. Cowlick lit up a cigar, earning a horrible scowl from Scarlet Sage that turned to horror when the engineer puffed it once, then passed it to Luna, who took it with a grin and took a slow draw before passing it back. Then she blew a large smoke ring into the air, as Celestia only shook her head and laughed, patting her younger sister on the back. Friends from Canterlot and Subterra had joined them as well, and someone had placed a picture of Selene out on the back porch that had turned into a little shrine of sorts, as demons walked out and left small offerings there, as did a few others who wanted to show their gratitude to the Nephilim. Antares eventually found his way outside after some time talking with his friends and visiting with family, and he sighed a little as he sat on the deck, studying the Nephilim's portrait and how her galactic, infinite eyes seemed to gaze knowingly out of the painting even now. He glanced back and forth, then looked down at the sprig of lavender in his hoof that he'd plucked a little earlier from one of the vases inside. He smiled a bit, then quietly laid it on the pile of flowers, murmuring: “It's not much, but I still wanted to say thank you and everything. You... you always kind of scared me, but you always did try to help. I think you cared about us all, even if you had trouble showing it. So... so thank you. I hope you're at peace.” He sighed a little after a moment, then turned around before looking up in surprise as Meadowlark stepped out of the back door, turning her eyes to him silently. Antares looked at the Pegasus for a moment, and then he smiled a little and gestured over his shoulder, saying quietly: “I was just... saying goodbye to Selene, I guess. I haven't seen you...” “You haven't been looking, either.” Meadowlark said softly, and the glossy-black unicorn shifted awkwardly at this before the mare sighed quietly and looked up at him, smiling faintly. “I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't apologize, that I should be mad at you, but... I can't be. I don't know why, really... maybe I'm weak, maybe I just feel sorry for you, maybe I just... love you that much.” Antares looked at her for a few moments, then he mouthed slowly, beginning to shake his head weakly, but Meadowlark shook her own and closed her eyes. “I want to live my life with you, but... I don't think you really want to live your life with me. I know you care about me. That we can trust each other, that you would go to the ends of the earth for me, and that... we could spend our entire life together, and probably be happy. “But as much as I love you, and I think you might love me... I know that entire life together would be filled with guilt, too, and the feeling that... we'd both just waiting for it to be over. That I'm just the lover you want until you can find a way to be with Prestige Luster. And this is so, so hard, but I also know this is best for us both, and I think you can recognize that.” Meadowlark looked up with a faint smile, shaking her head slowly as Antares mouthed weakly, wordlessly. “I'm sorry. It's all... bad timing and... I know this might just ruin everything between us but...” There was silence for a moment, and then the Pegasus looked down and whispered: “But I'd prefer to hurt and still love you, then wait until I hated you. I want you to know that you're... always going to be special to me, and I'm probably not going to ever get over you, really... but I am going to move on with my life. I... I'm going to stay in Ponyville for another month or two, and then I'm moving to Canterlot. Zecora also offered me a chance to pilgrimage to her peoples' land with her, and I'm... I think I'm going to do that.” Antares could only struggle to breathe, staring with disbelief at the mare as he trembled and felt a terrible empty void opening up inside himself, before he stumbled forwards and said weakly: “No, no... wait... wait, Meadow, I... I love you, come on, we can... let's talk about this, work things out...” But his words sounded lost even in his own ears, and as their eyes met, he didn't know how he could deny her. Especially after that kiss he'd stolen from Prestige, and the way he'd... he hadn't even cared that he hadn't seen Meadowlark before now. He hadn't looked for her, even though during the party he'd gravitated between helping take care of Innocence, talking with his family, and hanging out with Avalon and others. He hadn't done more than ask about her, and... but... no, I mean... “I care about you. I... Meadow, we were going to move in together, talking about... the future, and... I mean...” Meadowlark strode forwards with a faint smile, then leaned in towards him, her lips less than an inch from his... and he realized there was no instinct to meet them. To kiss her back, and the Pegasus simply nodded slowly before she leaned to the side instead and kissed his cheek quietly. “I know you do. I believe that. And I'm going to miss you... but we had a good time together. Now it's time for it to end, that's all.” Antares stared at Meadowlark, swallowing thickly before the Pegasus smiled faintly at him, then said softly: “Goodbye, Mir. If you ever need my help, I'll never hesitate to give it. I'll always be beside you, as your friend. But I know everything else is over now.” With that, the Pegasus took a slow breath before she turned and silently strode towards the doorway, letting herself back inside. She soundlessly made her way through the party, smiling faintly now and then at ponies she passed and trembling only a little, taking in the sight of all these different people who had been like friends and family until she reached the front door. She passed a moody-looking earth pony in a suit who was leaning grumpily over the railing of the front porch, a Pegasus beside him murmuring away words that Meadow couldn't make sense of. Then again, just about everything seemed blurry... that was, until Avalon suddenly landed in front of her just before she could reach the street, the tiny Pegasus asking sharply: “And where do you think you're going, huh?” Meadowlark flushed and turned her head quickly away, before she glanced over her shoulder as she heard hoofsteps in the grass, saw Aphrodisia approaching with her eyes narrowed intently. The Pegasus trembled, turning hurriedly back forwards, and Avalon buzzed up in front of her with a look of surprise, asking awkwardly: “Hey, whoa, what's wrong? Are you... crying?” Meadow looked up dumbly: she had been half-expecting them to give her a beating for upsetting their friend. She forced a smile after a moment though, shaking her head and managing out: “N-No, not at all, just... I just... have to go.” “You broke up with Antares.” Aphrodisia said quietly, and Meadowlark winced, looking over her shoulder with surprise as Ava began to scoff... then stared in disbelief, mouth falling agape as Meadowlark's breath hitched. She looked over her shoulder at the demon, and Aphrodisia smiled faintly and shrugged, straightening as she murmured: “Emotional reading, sorry. Nothing else would make you so... sad. And hurt. And... you seem happy, too.” Meadowlark laughed faintly and looked forwards with a flush as Avalon swallowed a bit, and then the tiny mare settled to the ground and tried to speak before she finally managed out lamely: “You uh... well. You want to go get a case of beer and talk about it?” “W-Why? You... neither of you ever liked me that much, you were always Antares' best friends...” Meadowlark replied with a frown, looking back and forth in surprise, and Apps smiled faintly as she stepped up beside her, the demon gazing at her softly. “We are, and you are smelly and dumb, Meadow, but... we're your friends as well as Antares'. Antares has his whole family here, and we'll be able to be there for him tomorrow and every day after that. But you.... you kinda look like you need a little help tonight.” Aphrodisia said softly, nodding after a moment to the mare. Avalon shrugged in agreement, then she looked down and rubbed the back of her head awkwardly before mumbling: “And... well... you know. It'd really suck for you to do something that makes me want to punch you in the face and then like... die or something. Plus I can't get drunk here. Dad'd probably just laugh but Mom'll murder me.” Meadowlark smiled faintly at the tiny mare, then she stepped forwards and hugged her fiercely up against her body, Avalon wincing and flailing a bit before groaning and throwing her head back, muttering: “Goddammit. Get. Get off me, and let's go get wasted and talk about how stupid boys are. Is... I mean... does this mean...” The larger Pegasus nodded a bit, trembling a little as she looked down and let Avalon slip away, breathing uneasily before she murmured: “Yeah. I love him, but... he loves Prestige more, still, even though she's gone. I can't compare to her and I can't replace her and he can't move on from her. This... this is for the best. So I told him and... that's it.” “Mares.” muttered a voice sourly, and Meadowlark couldn't help but flush and look over her shoulder at the earth pony that was dressed in a suit, who had apparently been listening in on their conversation. The Pegasus beside him was looking at the thin, sour-looking earth pony with something like horror, and it only deepened when the stallion asked Meadowlark wryly: “So what really happened? You run out of ways to make him give you pretty things, or did he just run out of bits?” “N-No!” Meadowlark almost shouted, trembling and stepping backwards, looking hurt. “How c-could you... I don't even know you, and...” “Yeah, I don't know you either, but you talk to her like that again and I'll kick your flank!” Avalon snapped, shooting forwards and glowering at the earth pony, who glared back before he shoved himself away from the railing and stormed off the patio to almost shove face-to-face with her. The two growled at each other, and then the stallion reached up and shoved Avalon backwards by the head, making her snarl before she shook a hoof at him threateningly. “I'm gonna shove this down your throat and rip out your lungs if you keep this up!” “Good luck with that, snack-pack. I've seen slave hoofs up north fed mushrooms bigger than you.” the earth pony said with disgust, and Avalon glared furiously as Aphrodisia grumbled, then her eyes widened in horror as the stallion leaned down and asked moodily: “Wait. Aren't you the spawn of the girl who wanted to be a real boy? No wonder you look like a colt.” Avalon stared... then yelled furiously and tackled the earth pony's face, and he shouted back at her before the two rolled together over the ground, Meadowlark staggering backwards in disbelief and Aphrodisia yelling angrily down at the two, leaping forwards and dancing around them as the Pegasus stallion almost-threw himself off the deck to try and grab the earth pony. But the two were kicking and flailing in every direction, and there was nothing anyone could do to part the two until the sound of a mare's quiet laughter jerked the earth pony's attention away. Avalon slung a last punch into the stallion's face, but he barely seemed to even notice it as he stared up at Ersatz Major, who smiled calmly as she looked down at him before saying gently: “Hello, Xeric. I'm very glad to see you've made a friend.” “Underbrush. It's Underbrush.” muttered the stallion, and then he shoved Avalon away, sending her rolling backwards as Aphrodisia began to open her mouth, but Meadowlark violently shook her head, staring with eyes filled with both tears and disbelief at the mogul. As he picked himself up, his eyes roved moodily over Ersatz and the pretty dress she was wearing, before he looked in distaste up at her horn as he asked: “Where's your stallion escort? Or did you not pay him enough?” “You wouldn't be this upset if you hadn't seen Burning Desire with me earlier.” Ersatz said softly, and then she smiled over at Avalon as the Pegasus kicked herself up and moodily rubbed at her bloody nose. “You'll have to excuse him. Xeric has trouble properly expressing his emotions.” “Don't apologize for me.” Underbrush snarled, but Ersatz only smiled at him kindly again before the stallion spat at her hooves and muttered: “Greedy proud-horn.” Ersatz only shrugged calmly, and Underbrush looked oddly unsettled before Ersatz said softly: “Then apologize yourself, Xeric. Not to me, to these poor girls. You don't mean what you said at all... I know I was awful to you, but you and I both know it's not because I was a mare, any more than it was because I was a unicorn. It was because I was an awful pony, for a little while.” There was silence for a few moments, and then Underbrush gave a long, tired sigh before he turned his eyes over his shoulder moodily. Then he finally almost sneered at Avalon, leaning towards her and saying distastefully: “I'm sorry you were born a girl.” “I'm gonna kill you. I'm going to kick your ass so hard it's... you're... you're gonna cry!” Avalon struggled out, snarling in fury at the earth pony, and then she lunged forwards and glared into his eyes. “What do you gotta say to that?” “I say you must not have many brain cells to rub together. I could beat you to death with my bare hooves in front of all these witnesses and no prosecutor across this barony would dare to lay a hoof on me. I could have the taxes increased on your farmland and force you into foreclosure. I could make it illegal for you to sell your apples inside any major city in this barony or its neighbors.” Underbrush threatened, leaning forwards and baring his teeth at her, and Avalon glared furiously back, undeterred. “I can ruin your entire family and the lives of all your friends. And so I have to ask, why aren't you begging and pleading and crying?” “Because, asshole, maybe that's true for your world, but we ain't in your world right now. This is Ponyville, and we take care of each other, where ponies like me can beat ponies like you into snot!” Avalon snapped, and she gritted her teeth before leaning forwards and snapping: “And my Mom and my Dad taught me to always stand up for what's right and never back down to bullies like you, no matter what they threaten! You're a coward if you have to hide behind all your big-shot friends, and I don't ever, ever back down because some goddamn fink in a fancy suit tells me to!” She reached forwards and grabbed one of his breast pockets, ripping it firmly off and tossing it down before stomping on the material a few times, and Underbrush scowled at her. She glared back, trembling, but refusing to be afraid: she saw the challenge in his eyes, and she was determined to beat him, here and now, before she whispered: “And you know what the worst part is? Even if I wanted to stop, I can't, because you said something I just can't overlook to my friend back there, and we take care of our friends. Mom's always said... even if it meant losing the farm, family and friends come first.” There was silence for a moment, and then Underbrush looked over the tiny Pegasus moodily before he reached up and ruffled her mane. Avalon snarled at him, her eye twitching, before the publisher looked distastefully past her at Meadowlark. “I recognize you now. That moron Barry called you Scrivener's protege... yeah, I keep an eye on everything related to that bastard slave hoof.” Aphrodisia growled at this, arching her back like a cat, but Underbrush ignored her as he looked at Meadowlark and sized her up for a moment, then jerked his head moodily at the pale, slightly-terrified Pegasus stallion standing just behind him. “Doctrine here deals with one of my smaller presses for me. I know you were planning to run away and cry and drink with your little filly-fooling friends, but maybe instead you can do something productive with your life. He needs an assistant for fact-checking and research. Right, Doctrine?” Underbrush tossed a glare over his shoulder at Doctrine, who gaped, then mouthed a few times before nodding hurriedly when the earth pony snarled at him, and Meadowlark flushed and reached up to touch her lips, trembling as she whispered: “I... I really need tonight... I don't think I can make any major decisions and... and... I'm supposed to go... out of country...” “If it's for research purposes the company will fund your travel expenses.” Underbrush said distastefully, and all eyes stared at him as Ersatz only smiled a little and shook her head slowly, before the earth pony turned away and stormed off towards the patio. “Doctrine, sell the job to her or you're fired. And snack-pack, work on your right hook.” “I'll join you.” Ersatz said gently, striding quickly over to Underbrush as Avalon shouted profanities at the businesspony's back, but they went ignored as Underbrush flicked blood from his bruised features and headed inside, the half-demon following behind him as she murmured: “You've always had the strangest way of apologizing for-” “And what's this, your way of apologizing to me?” Underbrush snarled as he spun around, glaring up at her, and the two looked at each other silently before he said disgustedly: “Look, I don't care what you did to get your magical powers. I don't care what your relationship is with that demon stallion you're whoring yourself out to if he isn't whoring himself to you. I don't care-” “If you didn't care it wouldn't hurt you every time I called you 'Xeric.'” Ersatz said quietly, and when Underbrush opened his mouth, Ersatz gave a faint smile and said softly: “If I truly want to make myself into a better pony, and make up for the mistakes I made in the past... I have to try and save you, Xeric Underbrush. Because I know that I'm at fault in large part for making you the way you are today. And if at all possible, I'd like to stop you from destroying yourself.” She paused, then reached up and calmly straightened his tie with her hooves, Underbrush slowly closing his mouth before she smiled a little more. “Maybe you can stop picking fights and squashing ponies that disagree with you and... come and meet some of my friends. There's a 'slave hoof,' as you like to say, named Sleipnir, that I think you would be very interested in meeting.” “Oh, whatever.” Underbrush muttered, shaking his head and beginning to lower it, and then his eyes flicked up and glared at Barry as the agent staggered into the hall from the other end with a wheeze, then squeaked and froze like he'd just been caught in blinding light from the glare of the earth pony. “Barry! Go find your idiot client, tell him that if he doesn't have another book ready for me within three months, I'm going to rip up my contract with him and gut your entire business like a fish. Do I make myself clear?” “Sir yes sir!” Barry squeaked, saluting with a tremble before he spun around and staggered hurriedly back into the room he'd just left, paling as he looked wildly back and forth through the kitchen as Applejack glanced up curiously from where she was helping Pinkie Pie put together some more snacks for guests. “Oh g-god, where's Scrivener Blooms?” “Out back, paying their respects to Selene with a few others. You seen Antares at all? He was supposed to be out there too, but it looks like he wandered off somewhere.” Applejack paused, then frowned over her shoulder at Rainbow Dash, who was seated comfortably at the dining room table, playing poker with Soarin' and Cowlick, while Ross watched over the engineer's shoulder with a happy smile. “Speaking of which, you seen Avalon around?” Rainbow only shrugged, and Soarin' glanced up even as he pushed a pile of bits forwards. “Fifteen. And uh... well, last I heard from her was probably half an hour ago.” “So how is it offensive when I call you gay, but not when she does?” Cowlick asked mildly as she tried to shift the sling on her foreleg, and Soarin' gave her a flat look. “Hey, I'm just curious here. Besides, I need something to distract myself. Ross here won't let me have more than one smoke a day with these goddamn pills I'm taking. Haven't had caffeine or an amphetamine in forever either, so I feel as stupid as Dash does on a regular day right now. I raise ten, by the way.” “Call. Asshole.” Rainbow Dash said mildly, pushing his own bits forwards before he hesitated and asked in a quieter voice: “Hey, Cowlick... this might be weird of me to ask, but... you got any tricks under your saddle for Scrivener and Luna? Scrivy's weird but a good guy, Luna's completely crazy but you know she's right up there with Celestia on the 'ponies we need around' list, and... Twilight is still... in there with them. And I just don't think I could live with seein' Antares go through losing them all over again, you know?” There was silence, but surprisingly it was broken by a laugh from Barry, who strode over and firmly patted Dash on the shoulder, earning a look of surprise from the Pegasus stallion. “Look sport, don't you worry a thing about that, okay? I got no worries, zip, zero, about champ coming back from whatever the hell he's getting into. As far as I'm concerned, this whole crazy deal is a non-issue.” The agent smiled and glanced around at the ponies, who were all staring at him, and then he softened a little and said in a quieter voice: “Yeah, I know. I saw what happened out there, I heard all about what happened to champ and girl-champ, and I see that poor Lady Twilight ain't on her hooves right now. I know all about Decretum and how everything went wrong before it went right, but you know what? Even if everything goes wrong again, they got great friends like you guys all lookin' out for them. Ready and willing to do everything to get 'em back. And they clearly are too stubborn to die, so even if they get lost... someone'll go and find 'em, right? Besides, you guys got contacts up in Heaven and down in Hell! You don't get a whole lot sweeter than that!” Rainbow Dash smiled after a moment, then he nodded a few times before Barry added with a grin over at Cowlick: “Also, your friend over there just has garbage in her hoof.” “Hey, screw you!” Cowlick snapped immediately, and then she winced before grumbling and throwing down her cards, glowering as Rainbow grinned widely and Barry skittered away from the table. “Goddammit. Could have bluffed my way out of that.” “It's okay, Cowlick. It's just a game, games are just for fun, right?” Ross said encouragingly, and the engineer sighed but smiled and nodded a few times before glancing up and watching as Barry quickly left the kitchen through the doors at the back. He strode onto the patio to find Luna and Scrivener with Celestia just behind them, their gazes focused on Selene's portrait and the pile of offerings. Innocence was out here as well, quietly looking up at her parents, and the lanky agent shifted a bit before he looked awkwardly into the backyard, where the armored Nightmare Eventide seemed to be holding conversation with a familiar Kelpie. The demon glanced up, then smiled softly at Barry, giving him a wave, and he awkwardly cleared his throat as he waved back at Hevatica, mumbling her name before he looked forwards. Scrivener glanced over his shoulder, and the stallion smiled a little as he turned around before Barry said quietly: “Lots of ponies are worried about you, champ. I'm tryin' to do my thing, keep 'em settled down, but... you know. And uh... Underbrush... well...” “Whatever Underbrush wants can wait. Just write it down on my calender, and when I get back we can talk about it.” Scrivener said softly, and Barry nodded lamely a few times before the charcoal stallion turned his eyes back towards Selene's portrait, rubbing a hoof gently along Innocence's back, a small smile spreading over his features. “I think I'm going to do some research on Nephilim. There's not a lot of information but... well, Selene left a whole bunch of little personal things in her room, just sitting out in the open. Almost like she knew what was going to happen, and wanted to let us know...” Luna only laughed quietly and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “But who can know for sure, Scrivener Blooms? 'Tis impossible to say. She was always a maddening, frustrating creature, that is what I have to say upon that subject... and I shall miss her dearly.” Scrivener nodded slowly, looking down before he and Luna both sighed softly, and Celestia rose her head before glancing over her shoulder at Barry. She studied him for a moment as Barry looked back at her lamely, and then the ivory winged unicorn finally smiled a little and said softly: “Normally I ask Scrivener Blooms this, but I have a speech to prepare. A very important speech, and... perhaps you could help me draft it out. I have the feeling that my brother and sister... this is the last night for a while we're going to get a chance to see them.” “Don't say that, sister. We shall come back... and nay, nay, that is not a promise. 'Tis just what I plan to do.” Luna smiled slightly, looking up at the sapphire mare before she shook her head slowly and returned her eyes to the portrait. “Scrivener Blooms and I have many reasons to return here, after all... our daughters, our son, the fact we are to be grandparents... I cannot miss that, Celestia. I refuse to miss the birth of my grandchildren. Any more than I could bear to leave Innocence without parents.” Celestia nodded slowly, then turned her eyes softly towards the agent, saying quietly: “Still, though. I may have to present this speech within a month. I could use your assistance.” Barry smiled faintly, bowing his head low as he mouthed words for a few moments, then finally said humbly: “I'm a businesspony. Not a writer, Baroness Celestia...” “I think you do better than me with stuff like this, Barry. You know how to sell an audience.” Scrivener Blooms said softly as he turned around, and Barry looked up with surprise... then he swallowed back loudly before the agent leapt forwards and seized the stallion in a tight hug, making the charcoal pony wince. After a moment, a small smile came to Scrivener's face, and he awkwardly patted the lanky earth pony on the back as he looked down at Innocence, and Innocence gazed radiantly back. And Scrivener silently made the same promise he had heard Luna make, that still echoed through his mind; they would put an end to this, they would stop Thesis, and they would come back alive. Top ↑